Sheet metal clip for furniture



April 9, 19 63 I I L. s. JAWORSKI SHEET METAL CLIP FOR FURNITURE 7 Filed July 20, 1960 A w 0 D N W E ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,084,739 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 poration of Ohio Filed July 20, 1960, Ser. No. 44,171 1 Claim. (Cl. 160-402) This invention relates to fasteners but particularly to spring clips for securing a strap to a tubular member.

Certain articles of furniture are constructed of tubular members in which the seat and back elements are formed of crossing straps of suitable flexible fabric, such as cloth or plastic. The ends or" the straps are secured to the tubular members and, heretofore, the straps have been secured in place by fasteners which require that holes be formed in the tubular members to effect the fastening operation. Such fasteners are objectionable because of the fact that the frame is weakened. It is a desideratum to effect a secure and satisfactory connection between the strap and the tubular member without forming holes or in any way weakening the frame.

An object is to produce a spring clip for securing a strap to a tubular member without in any way deforming or weakening the tubular member, the clip being so designed as to be applied quickly and easily and firmly hold the strap from slipping.

Another object is to produce a new and improved connection between a strap and a tubular member involving a clip of a specific structure, the latter cooperating with the strap and tubular member in such manner as to provide a secure and positive fastening and of such nature that adjustment may be effected for tightening the strap to maintain it in a desired degree of tautness.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a seat or back member of an article of furniture having crisscrossed straps, the ends of which are secured to the tubular member;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a spring clip and a portion of the strap engaged thereby;

FIGURE 3 is an edge view of a spring clip and a strap showing the first position in the securing operation;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the end portion of the strap folded inside of a portion of the spring clip;

FIGURE 5 shows the next step pursued in which the strap is partially wound about the spring clip and showing a tubular member in section to which the clip-strap assembly is about to be applied;

FIGURE 6 shows the next step after the clip-strap assembly has been applied to the tubular member and then rotated slightly; and

FIGURE 7 shows the final position of the parts with the strap-clip assembly further rotated to place the strap taut and to fold the end portion of the strap in the desired position.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a back or seat member 10 for an article of furniture which has a tubular frame member '11 to which straps 12 are attached at their ends and are arranged in criss-crossing relation. The end portion of each strap is secured to the tubular member by elongate spring clips 13. The clips 13 are of sheet metal and are curved and have an are greater than a semi-circle with spaced opposing side edges 14 and 15. The clip is of less diameter than the tubular member and of such size as to slip snugly over and partially embrace the tubular frame member 11. In the clip 13, spaced inwardly from the free edge 14 is a series of spaced struck-out prongs 16 of generally triangular shape, presenting pointed ends for impingement into the tubular member 11 as will hereinafter appear. As shown, the prongs 16 incline inwardly and in a direction toward the free side edge 14.

FIGURES 3 to 7 illustrate the manner in which the clip 13 is applied. As shown in FIGURE 3, a portion of the strap 12 is placed in almost bridging position of the space between the free edges 14 and 15- of the clip. Such end portion of the strap is then folded inside the clip, as indicated in FIGURE 4 and over the edge portion 15. The clip is then rotated in a clockwise direction so that the strap 12 extends about the outside of the clip. The clip is then applied to the tubular member 11 by spreading apart the free edge portions for this purpose. Then, as indicated in FIGURE 6, the assembly is rotated additionally in a clockwise direction, and since the prongs =16 extend toward the free edge portion 14 of the clip, they ride over the outside of the tubular member 11. This relative rotation between the clip and the tubular member 14 continues until, as shown in FIGURE 7, the folded end portion of the strap and the free edge 15 of the clip are on the outer side of the tubular member so that the clip and the folded end of the strap are entirely concealed. if additional tension is desired for the strap, further relative movement between the clip and the tubular member may be effected. Usually the tubular member 11 is of a soft metal such as aluminum so that the prongs 16 bite into the metal and effectively resist retrograde movement, thereby holding the strap in taut position.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and choice of materials may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

in a combination of a spring clip, a strap and a tubular member for furniture use having an unbroken smooth peripheral surface, said clip being of spring sheet metal and of tubular form having a uniformly complementary inner surface with edge portions circumferentially spaced from each other and normally of a diameter less than said tubular member, said clip being of a generally G-shaped crosssection, said strap being folded over one edge of said clip and inside thereof and then wrapped around said clip whereby the clip-strap assembly may be snapped over said tubular member, said clip being concentric with said tubular member substantially throughout its periphery, and a series of pointed prongs struck from the portion of said clip opposite to said one edge and projecting inwardly at an acute angle to the inner peripheral surface of said clip and with said prongs directed toward the edge opposite said one edge of said clip, the tips of said prongs being closer to said opposite edge of said clip than the roots of said prongs as measured along said inner peripheral surface, thereby to bite into the smooth peripheral surface of said tubular member for resisting retrograde movement of said clip-strap assembly but enabling relative turning thereof relative to said tubular member to effect strap tightening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 91,573 Smith June 22, 1869 265,688 Marsh Oct. 10, 1882 89 1,86 1 Read June 30, 1908 1,245,099 Gross et al. Oct. 30, 1917 2,501,934 Doremus et al Mar. 28, 1950 2,766,814 Sedlacek Oct. 16, 1956 2,830,350 Wootton Apr. 15, 1958 2,861,318 Fernberg Nov. 25, 1958 

